a rainy walk at the beginning of autumn
by Mistofstars
Summary: Ianto and Jack are taking a walk...


**Author:** Mistofstars (if you have a tumblr account, come and find me, my name is also mistofstars there!)

**Disclaimer: **Neither Jack Harkness nor Ianto Jones belong to me; they are property of Torchwood and BBC and their creator R.T. Davies. Although I think I might have treated them better haha. I don't make money with this, everything is completely made up. Although, it might have happen, we don't know for sure.

**Author's Note:** Set between season 2 episode „Something borrowed" and „They came from out of the rain". The lyrics at the beginning are from Jewel's song „What's simple is true". Also: I could not use my usual translator (which I use to sort out the rough part of the translation) because my internet connection is non-existent for weeks now (thanks to the stupidity of my current provider, I will have an other next month, thank God!). If the translation sounds wrong, please tell me. I really had to rely on my school / internet English and my hard-copy dictionary haha... (actually, I'm quite surprised how well it worked without my usual translation process...haha)

**Pairing: **Jack / Ianto also known as Janto

**Rating: **P12-slash

**A rainy walk at the beginning of autumn**

"_...Turn to me with frozen lips, your hands are icy cold_

_You're eyes have been bright against the frosted sky_

_You never seemed more lovely than you do tonight_

_The more I live the more I know_

_What's simple is true: I love you..."_

_(Jewel – What's simple is true)_

The late afternoon morphed to an early evening. Cardiff presented itself in its usual dull kind; dark, thick rain-clouds were hanging in the sky, a cold, fresh wind blew through the empty streets. A soft drizzle fell to the ground, but that didn't matter to the two pedestrians that strolled along the bank of the river Taff.

Ianto observed the sky and the weather with a sceptical gaze. He felt the cold wind stroking through his hair, tugging at his blazer. With clammy fingers he buttoned up his jacket. The summer must have come to its final end, autumn was near. Somehow Ianto was looking forward to this time of the year – he loved it when it was getting dark so early, when you could light candles all the time. Plus, you could always sit down with a nice cup of hot tea or coffee, wrapped up in a warm blanket, to read a good book. He already thought about the rainy, quiet afternoons in his flat at the weekends, in silence and peace.

His train of thoughts was stopped when he suddenly felt an arm around his back; Jack, who was walking next to him, had put his arm around him while they were walking, and at once he was quite close to Ianto's side. Ianto looked up to him with a little smile, detecting the worried glance in Jack's eyes.

„Are you cold? We could also go back. The weather sucks anyhow...", he suggested, but that made Ianto just smile all the more. It had been Jack's idea in the first place, to take a walk around the block to breathe a bit of fresh air. Toshiko had stayed at the HUB to monitor the rift. Gwen had a date with Rhys and Owen was on a well-deserved vacation. It had been a long, strenuous day, filled with boring but necessary labours. Ianto had turned the whole archive on its head to sort it – he had the feeling that his hands were completely dry by now, that they were also made of paper.

Jack had been able to read the stress in his facial features, when he had finally caught him in the cellar. Ianto's tensed gaze, that suggested that he had a bad headache and that he needed oxygen urgently... It hadn't cost Jack a lot of persuasion – he knew how much Ianto loved to spend his time with him, also, he wanted to claim the nearness of the young Welsh all for himself. It would still take so long until Toshiko would call it a day and knock off. Normally Ianto then stayed for a while in the HUB with Jack; often he fell asleep in Jack's bed, right next to him, to get up in the early hours of morning, to return to his flat shortly to get ready for the next day.

But today Jack didn't want to wait so long, he needed his daily dose of Ianto immediately. Or at least a little foretaste of his time with him. His arm fled from Ianto's back to grasp the right hand of the younger – their fingers intertwined automatically.

„My God, your hands are icy cold! You really don't want to go back?", Jack asked, whereupon Ianto only smiled wickedly, shaking his head in denial.

„That was your idea, Jack", he answered dryly, grinning inwardly. Jack's ever so perfect hair was already dark from all the wetness of the rain, a few water drops streamed along his cheek. His clear blue eyes shimmered brightly in the light of the nearing sundown. Ianto's heart stumbled, thumped wildly and untamed in his chest. How beautiful he found him; all his life long he had never seen a more attractive man than Jack...

Ianto perceived how the wonderful warmth of Jack's hand transferred to his skin. The first street lights awoke, behind the dark clouds, that were still getting darker, a few single stars appeared. Ianto looked at them longingly. He didn't notice Jack's side-glance, how he watched him with a tender sparkle in his eyes. But he noticed how Jack's thumb softly stroked along the back of his hand.

How Ianto's blue eyes reflected the light of the clear evening sky! How bright and clearly they glimmered... His pale skin was enlightened through the light of the street lights and the stars, his face looked marble and noble. Jack realized that he had difficulties to breathe. Ianto's sight robbed him every thought, robbed his body every function. His heart refused to beat, his lungs refused to breathe, his brain didn't want to think any longer. He was caught in a timeless bubble, in which he only wanted to do one thing, preferably forever: Watching Ianto. In all his whole beauty, in his unique loyalty, his pragmatic manner.

Finally he noticed how Ianto looked at him suspiciously, and he awoke from his daydream. He hadn't perceived that they had stopped. Half amused, half confused Ianto looked into Jack's face.

„Why do you look at me like that?", he asked, almost shy, almost reproachful. Jack realized how his innards melted through this innocent question. Ianto had no idea how amazing he was, how unique and lovable. Jack turned to him and put both his arms around his hips. He pulled Ianto's cold body right against his and looked him deeply in the eyes. He saw how Ianto's cheek reddened slightly, how his breathing faltered – he still wasn't used to share intimacies in public. Although he had a wicked side – Jack knew of it well enough – Ianto was often pretty shy and unsure. A trait that seemed also interesting and attractive to Jack.

Jack tried to find the words for the storm that was swooshing through his world of emotions. For the tidal waves that swashed in him; for the feeling of dizzy weightlessness, when he looked into Ianto's eyes, able to read how much the younger loved him. He could not describe how it felt to be loved so honestly and uncompromisingly. It touched him that someone was still capable to do so, after all he had done. That someone still saw the human in him, not the monster that had committed so many mistakes and shameful deeds. How grateful he was to be allowed to feel such a love once more...

Ianto's features became tender, his smile gentle.

„You don't even know how special you are", Jack quietly said; a soft tone vibrated in his words. Ianto had to laugh, he rolled his eyes and withdrew his hand from Jack's. He started walking again and looked back to Jack with an almost reproachful glance that confused Jack.

„Stop talking rubbish", Ianto said while he was walking away. Jack followed him quickly and caught up with him. Did he imagine it, or did Ianto walk faster than before?

„Hey, what is it? What did I say? I really meant it, Ianto!" Energetically Jack grabbed Ianto's hand again and held it firmly in his. Ianto slowed his steps again; without resistance he allowed Jack to hold his hand, but he ignored the asking, waiting glance of his blue eyes. He just bit his tongue and stared into the distance. So they walked along for a few silent minutes, until Jack saw a roofed over bus-stopp, that promised shelter from the rain which was getting heavier. Determinately he walked to it with Ianto.

„Come, let's sit down there, it's dry at least", he suggested, whereupon Ianto remained silent and followed Jack.

They sat down on the cold iron bench and leaned back against the wall made of dark old wood. Jack's hands took Ianto's right one and lovingly he rubbed its skin warm. Ianto looked up to him in the semi-darkness of the beginning evening, and he gave him a tender smile. Jack simply had to return the smile. His face came closer to Ianto's, and he gave the cold white forehead a warm kiss. Ianto quietly sighed and leaned his head and torso against Jack's left side. Before he knew it, Jack had put his arm around him and pulled him closer.

„Jack? What you said just now, it was a joke, wasn't it?",Ianto finally asked, and his voice sounded so young and hoarse that it made Jack's heart melt with sympathy and emotion.

„No. To me you're something special", Jack answered seriously. Why was it so hard for Ianto to understand this thought? Why did he refuse to accept it?

Ianto embedded his arm on Jack's stomach and moved closer to the warm pleasant nearness of his beloved.

„But why, Jack? As far as I can tell I'm just an ordinary young man. What great things have I done, or what can I do better than others? What am I, for example, in comparison to your Doctor, who always saves whole worlds and who travels through time? In comparison to him I'm just one thing: common", Ianto argued.

In his voice no injured pride nor self-pity or lacking self-confidence resounded. Truly, Ianto Jones knew by now who he was and what he was capable of and of what not. And this he balanced with known facts to show Jack the result of his analyse.

Now Jack had to laugh incredulously. His fingertips squeezed Ianto's jacket, he held the younger tightly in his arm. Somehow it hurt his soul to know that Ianto thought of himself in that way, that he was so blind regarding himself...

Jack observed the silver curtain of rain that was falling loudly and thunderously by now. Above them the sound of thick drops was audible, which rained down on the top of the bus-stopp. It was cold by now, Jack could already see Ianto's hot breath rising in little white clouds of fog. What had he been thinking, to go outside during such a weather?

„Ianto...", he started, and his voice had a hoarse, loving sound.

„You're like an angel to me, but you just don't see that. Because of you I was able to open my heart again after endless decades; for so long I was bitter, hiding behind words and deeds. But you see how I really am. And still you accept me... That solely seems like a wonder to me."

He felt how Ianto's fingers softly drew little paintings on his shirt, how his hand finally crawled under his coat to enjoy the warmth under it. It was one of these rare, honest talks which they had from time to time. In which they lay their cards on the table to show the other how important he was for them. Ianto attentively listened to Jack's words, because he knew he didn't want to miss this moment.

„And how loyal you've been towards Lisa. You would have done anything to save her. You risked your own life, just because you loved her. Then I understood how much I adore you. How uncompromisingly you love and sacrifice yourself. I wanted to do the same for you, because you deserve no less. Again and again you show me my human trait, you always bring me back down to earth..."

Jack's hand started to stroke Ianto's cool back up and down warmingly.

„I wouldn't know where I'd be without you by now..."

Ianto sat up and eyed Jack supisciously. A spark of doubt glimmered in his gaze, but when Jack's fingers softly touched his cold cheek and when they pulled his face closer to his, the restlessness inside of him disappeared. And he trusted in what Jack had confessed to him. Their lips found each other, and they kissed for long. Jack's hands dug into Ianto's wet hair, and he intensified their passionate kisses by tilting his head and pressing his face as close as possible against Ianto's. He smelt the rain, Ianto's aftershave, even the salty tears that were streaming down his cheeks.

When they separated Jack's thumb stroked away Ianto's tears while Jack smiled. Ianto answered his smile; for one moment it seemed as if time was standing still, as if the cloak of rain had embraced them to save them from the outer hectic world. Ianto felt every violent heartbeat pumping in his breast roaringly, the hot blood in his reddened cheeks. His lips still tingled from Jack's skilled, demanding kisses. With every breath he inhaled Jack's intoxicating pheromones, felt drawn to him. He knew that he had just received the only kind of love declaration that Jack was able to. And it touched him, because it was more than just satisfying.

Feeling awkward he dried his eyes and gave Jack a reproachful look.

„Making me cry in public. Aren't you ashamed?", he joked and breathed in deeply, hearing Jack's loud laughter. His beloved got up and buttoned up his great coat. He reached out his hand invitingly and winked at Ianto.

„Come, let's go back. Why do even react to my silly proposal to take a walk? Haven't you seen the shitty weather?"

With a laugh Ianto got up and took Jack's hand.

**THE END**

You make me happy when you tell me what you think thehe...!


End file.
